College's efforts broaden its horizons over the horizon

August 20, 2003|By Matt Baron, Special to the Tribune.

Ethnocentrism -- the attitude that one's own ethnic group, nation or culture is superior -- is being dealt a severe blow at the College of DuPage. Much of that is a result of strides made in the college's international education office.

Zinta Konrad, who coordinates the international education program, said even before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks interest in international issues had grown on campus.

"But the event, she said, served as "a catalyst for turning people's focus glo-bally. ... People woke up and said, Look what's happening in our own back yard and that could happen again.

"There is more interest in study abroad. Faculty members are interested in going overseas, too," Konrad said. "Foreign policy has become very important to people."

COD has featured a monthly guest speaker from the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations in an effort to broaden students' perspectives on international issues.

The next speaker is Joshua Hammer, the Middle East bureau chief of Newsweek magazine, who will speak from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 24 at McDonald's Hamburger University in Oak Brook.

"Everything global is local, and people are finally beginning to understand that," Konrad said.

"The college wants to engage people in dialogue. We can preach about multiculturalism and diversity, but it's not the same until someone is confronted with it, and you have to put yourself in another's shoes."

This year, the college is launching its global studies program, a two-year undertaking that augments a student's major and focuses on preparing students to gain the skills and knowledge to navigate the global marketplace, to think critically about world issues and to learn about other cultures, said Michele Sarussi, an international education assistant.

Studying a language is among the requirements.

Twenty-five students will take classes and seminars together, which "promotes a deeper understanding and level of learning," Sarussi said.

"We're very excited about [the program] because it gives students an opportunity to really get into depth with the issues."

Other broadening experiences include five-week foreign trips. There also arefield studies that last less than three weeks.

The next one begins Saturday and ends Aug. 31. The base of operations will be the Chateau de Matel in Roanne, in the country's south-central region. There, Thielman will guide 18 people who will learn French country cooking and take in other parts of France's culture.

"People are much more interested," said Thielman. "Right after 9/11, it waned, but about one year later it went back to how it was."

Most of those on the trip are students, who earn three credit hours, though some college employees and community members also join in the trip.

Another hub on campus is the state-funded International Trade Center, which helps small and medium-sized businesses with global trade.

More are taking advantage of its resources, with 134 seeking help in 2002. The annual average for the previous four years was 55, said Cassandra Keener, the center's program manager.

Since it recently joined the World Trade Organization, China has become a "huge hot button" for individuals and businesses that see great opportunity in the country, said Keener.

The center offers seminars such as the one held in July on China's new restrictive import requirements.

"So many people just want to know how to do business with China," said Keener. "It's just an untapped market for everybody."

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For more information on the College of DuPage's international education program, contact Zinta Konrad at 630-942-3079 or konrad@cdnet.cod.edu or Cassandra Keener at 630-942-3052 or keener@cdnet.cod.edu.